Today we announced at Creative Algorithms that our Palm OS apps, Trip Boss and Date Wheel, have been “Classic Certified” for the MotionApps emulator app “Classic” for the webOS on the Palm Pre. (full press release here). What exactly does this mean?
Today we announced at Creative Algorithms that our Palm OS apps, Trip Boss and Date Wheel, have been “Classic Certified” for the MotionApps emulator app “Classic” for the webOS on the Palm Pre. (full press release here). What exactly does this mean? Well, Creative Algorithms worked with MotionApps to test our two most popular apps on Classic. After successful completion of testing, MotionApps has signed the two apps, making them certified.
One thing that differs from the Pre and the Treo/Centro lines is the touchscreen. 
The Pre does not use a stylus, but instead relies on the conductivity of your finger, like the iPhone. So, apps written in Palm OS that really require a stylus can be difficult to emulate. But, Classic does support a 5-way navigation, which should alleviate a lot of basic stylus issues. Many of Creative Algorithms’ apps were written with finger-tip buttons and all support 5-way nav, so our apps are set for emulation on the Pre. While Trip Boss and Date Wheel are certified, our other apps, like Serving Sizer will also work on the emulator, but you will see a warning at launch.
What does Classic offer existing Palm OS customers? Classic allows you to run all the extensive software library you already own, making the transition to the Pre easier. Think of it as similar to replacing your movie collection. You don’t have to go out and replace all your VCR tapes with DVD’s right away. You can use your VCR until it dies and you can buy new DVD titles as they are released, or those favorites you wish to optimize for the DVD player. With Classic, you can still use your old favorites until a new and improved version is released plus Classic also extends the life of the old PalmOS apps, should your Treo/Centro suddenly die. As an added bonus, old PalmOS apps run twice as fast in Classic on the Pre.
What does Classic offer for current PalmOS devs? It buys us time to get access to the new Mojo WebOS SDK and develop apps for the new OS. WebOS is a completely different developing environment than with the old Palm OS. It requires devs to learn new languages, new tools, and new ways of doing things. The learning curve is high and will take time to rewrite applications. Classic provides a bridge to apps rewritten in webOS. In addition, Classic may even provide a bit of a revenue stream from new customers who are too impatient to wait for the new webOS apps to be released.
What does Classic offer Pre customers new to Palm? Since the webOS SDK has only been shown to select developers, few apps are available to run natively on the Pre. If you are experiencing the app hype and want to load up on apps, Classic offers you an avenue to do just that. Classic is the door to the existing 30,000+ existing Palm OS apps.
So, why did we certify our two most popular apps? We want our existing base to know we are committed to continue development for mobile devices, but as a small software house, it will take time. The mobile space is expanding at a rapid pace and difficult to keep up. But we are still here. Secondly, we wanted to provide the confidence that certification can give.
So, if you have a new Pre, please visit our main website to download the newly certified versions of Trip Boss and Date Wheel. Follow Creative Algorithms on twitter to hear about upcoming announcements (and discounts!). You can find Classic at MotionApps’ website, along with a long list of FAQ’s for loading Classic and your old PalmOS apps and data onto your new Pre.
We are committed to continue to provide you with innovative products and mobile solutions!
